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Chapter 9
Nursing
Description
• Registered nurses (RNs) – treat and educate patients
and the public about various medical conditions
• Provide advice and emotional support to patients’
family members.
• RNs record patients’ medical histories and symptoms,
help perform diagnostic tests and analyze results,
operate medical machinery, administer treatment and
medications, and help with patient follow-up and
rehabilitation.
• Duties are usually determined by the work setting
Nursing Specialties
• RNs may work in a variety of settings and with
diverse patient populations, some examples:
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medical-surgical units
pediatrics or pediatric oncology
ER or trauma/ transport
Labor and Delivery
Critical care or ICU nursing
Operative nursing
Travel nursing ($$$)
Work Environment
• RNs usually spend considerable time on their feet,
walking, bending, stretching, and standing.
• Patients in hospitals and nursing care facilities require
24-hour care; consequently, nurses in these institutions
may work nights, weekends, and holidays.
• Shifts are generally 12 hrs long
• RNs also may be on call—available to work on short
notice.
• Nurses who work in offices, schools, and other settings
that do not provide 24-hour care are more likely to
work regular business hours.
Employment Opportunities
• The largest healthcare occupation, registered
nurses held about 2.6 million jobs in 2008 (2.7
million in 2014)
• Hospitals employed the majority of RNs (60%)
• jobs.
• About 8% of jobs were in offices of physicians,
5% in home healthcare services, 5% in nursing
care facilities, and 3% in employment services.
Educational and Legal Requirements
• The three educational paths to becoming an RN are:
– Bachelor degree (4 yrs) = BSN (Bachelor’s of Science in
Nursing)
– Associate degree (2-3 yrs)
– Diploma from an approved nursing program (hospital
programs – 3 yrs - don’t know about this one)
• Nurses most commonly enter the occupation by
completing an Associate degree or Bachelor degree
program.
• Individuals then must complete a national licensing
examination in order to obtain a nursing license.
Licensure and Certification
In all states, the District of Columbia, and U.S.
territories, students must graduate from an
approved nursing program and pass a
national licensing examination, known as the
National Council Licensure Examination, or
NCLEX-RN, in order to obtain a nursing
license.
Other Qualifications
Nurses should be:
• Caring and sympathetic
• Responsible
• Detail oriented
• Emotionally stable/ professional boundaries
They must be able to direct or supervise others,
correctly assess patients’ conditions, and
determine when consultation is required.
Advancement
• Most RNs begin as staff nurses in hospitals
• With experience and good performance, can move to other
settings or are promoted to positions with more
responsibility
• Often RNs with AA, advance after obtaining BSN
• Management - nurses can advance from assistant unit
manager to more senior-level administrative roles of
assistant director, director, vice president, or Chief of
Nursing.
• Nurse Practioner (NP) has a master’s or doctoral degree in
nursing - https://www.aanp.org/all-about-nps
Employment Trends
• Overall job opportunities for registered nurses
are expected to be excellent, but may vary by
employment and geographic setting.
• Employment of registered nurses is expected
to grow by 22% from 2008 to 2018, much
faster than the average for all occupations.
– Update at 16% growth (2014 – 2024)
Earnings
Median annual wages of registered nurses were
$62,450 in May 2008 ($ 66,640 in 2014)
• The middle 50% earned between $51,640 and
$76,570.
• The highest 10% earned more than $92,240
• Updated info here http://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/registere
d-nurses.htm
LICENSED PRACTICAL AND
LICENSED VOCATIONAL
NURSES
Work Description
Licensed practical nurses (LPNs), or licensed
vocational nurses (LVNs), care for people who
are sick, injured, convalescent, or disabled under
the direction of physicians and registered nurses.
Employment Opportunities
• In 2008, about 25% of LPNs worked in
hospitals, 28% in nursing care facilities, and
another 12% in offices of physicians.
• Others worked for home healthcare services;
employment services; residential care
facilities; community care facilities for the
elderly; outpatient care centers; and federal,
state, and local government agencies.
Educational and Legal Requirements
• Most practical nursing training programs last about 1
year and are offered by vocational and technical
schools, or community or junior colleges.
• LPNs must complete a state-approved training
program in practical nursing to be eligible for
licensure.
• LPNs must be licensed to practice.
• NCLEX-PN is required for licensure
Earnings
Median annual wages of licensed practical and
licensed vocational nurses were $39,030 in May
2008.
• The middle 50% earned between $33,360 and
$46,710.
• The lowest 10% earned less than $28,260
• The highest 10% earned more than $53,580.
Clark College RN Program
• Associate of Applied Science in Nursing
(AAS) – 117 credits
• Associate in Arts (AA) with direct transfer to
WSU to obtain Bachelor’s of Science in
Nursing – 142 credits
• Pre-nursing AA with intent to transfer to other
various bachelor’s in nursing programs – 90
credits
• Clark’s Nursing Program site link on Canvas
Clark Simulation Lab (WSU)